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Dreamworld defends amputee slide ban

The operators of a Gold Coast theme park say allowing an amputee
to ride a water slide would have placed other members of the public
in danger.

Paralympian Steve Simmonds has complained of discrimination
after he was ordered off a water slide by staff at Dreamworld's
White Water World on Wednesday because he was wearing a prosthetic
leg.

The 34-year-old swimmer and waterskiier said the ban left him
humiliated and unable to accompany his young children during a
family trip to the park.

A Dreamworld spokeswoman today told brisbanetimes.com.au park
management had immediately apologised to Mr Simmonds, who wears a
prosthetic after losing his leg as a child, but would not back down
from the ban for safety reasons.

She said slide manufacturer's guidelines prevented metal objects
of any kind - including casts and protheses - from being used on
any of the theme park's attractions and could result in damage to
the thrill rides if ignored.

"For the safety of everyone who uses the water slides, we have
to abide by the manufacturer's guidelines and they are very
specific," the spokeswoman said.

"There is a long list of things we have to comply with as per
the manufacturer's instructions."

She said management had offered Mr Simmonds a ride on the slide
without his prosthetic limb, and had also promised to upgrade him
to the main Dreamworld park next door the moment they heard he was
upset.

"We tried to find a solution for him. We did invite him to stay
and take off his prosthetic limb...but what I'm hearing from our
team is that he didn't want to do that."

But Mr Simmonds, who has represented Australia in the Paralympic
Games, told ABC news that getting to the top of the slide without
his artificial leg would have been impossible.

"I said, 'if I walk up there, take my leg off can someone take
the leg back down and I will put my leg back on at the bottom' and
they said 'no, you can't do that'," Mr Simmonds said.

"I said, 'do you want me to hop all the way up?'

"They said, 'well, you need to be physically healthy'."

"I've always been able to do pretty much whatever I wanted.

"I was probably more upset because for the first time in my life
I couldn't do something because I had one leg and it affected my
kids, [it] just put reality in my face again."

The Dreamworld spokeswoman said she "empathised" with Mr
Simmonds.

"We understand that he is an elite athlete and champion skier,
however the welfare of all guests is our priority."